Softball Offseason

[JMV JustMyView]

Amen! I'm with you, man! Especially the part about LIVELIHOOD and PLENTY of PORTAL KIDS TO FILL THE GAPS!

Maybe some potentially good players but not much proven players left.

[JMV JustMyView]

Good post. Taking the time to hire the RIGHT people for the jobs is more important to the program than just making a hire to possibly get some player (or a few players) from the transfer portal.

Players come and go, and at an alarming rate these days. You have to make sure you have the right people in place on your coaching staff

Good coaches tend to go regularly also. Anyone aspiring to be a head coach would move on from UL after a few years if they have great success. This program should be set up to advance assistant coaches.

[SlickRick]

So, judging by my lack of comments and/or posts I obviously don't know much however......

Could it be that the target hires are/were currently playing pro ball and/or had current jobs and have not been able to go through the official process to be hired and announced?

Could it be that Coach wants to be certain the hires are individuals she trusts instead of just naming anyone that is interested? I mean let's face it, if a Head Coach hires someone just to name a replacement and that person doesn't work out fans will be highly upset that type of decision was rushed. If a coach "drags their feet" in order to hire who they feel is the right fit then fans are not typically happy things haven't moved at the pace they feel is correct. My personal opinion on that is, I would take the latter approach as my livelihood depends on getting it right as to not have a revolving door and to show some sort of stability. Not to mention having to work so closely with those individuals.

I understand the notion of potentially losing and not getting portal kids without someone being named but there are still plenty of quality athletes in the portal that in the right situation / environment and development can be top contributors. Have the majority of the 1%ers that entered the portal found new homes, absolutely but how many of them does UL actually have a shot at landing unless it's an in-state kid that wants to be at UL or closer to home? In which case, the asst coach hires wont affect it (Marceaux and Manning). I know the standard of UL is going after those types of kids which it will likely remain that way however, with the amount of kids left in the portal I think you can find quality athletes that can fill any gaps that the Coaching staff might have potentially identified.

ok, ok.......I am done commenting I swear!!! LOL

Sounds like you do know something...hmmm.

[JMV JustMyView]

Sounds like you do know something...hmmm.

Mofo?

[Reality Check]

So, judging by my lack of comments and/or posts I obviously don't know much however......

Could it be that the target hires are/were currently playing pro ball and/or had current jobs and have not been able to go through the official process to be hired and announced?

Could it be that Coach wants to be certain the hires are individuals she trusts instead of just naming anyone that is interested? I mean let's face it, if a Head Coach hires someone just to name a replacement and that person doesn't work out fans will be highly upset that type of decision was rushed. If a coach "drags their feet" in order to hire who they feel is the right fit then fans are not typically happy things haven't moved at the pace they feel is correct. My personal opinion on that is, I would take the latter approach as my livelihood depends on getting it right as to not have a revolving door and to show some sort of stability. Not to mention having to work so closely with those individuals.

I understand the notion of potentially losing and not getting portal kids without someone being named but there are still plenty of quality athletes in the portal that in the right situation / environment and development can be top contributors. Have the majority of the 1%ers that entered the portal found new homes, absolutely but how many of them does UL actually have a shot at landing unless it's an in-state kid that wants to be at UL or closer to home? In which case, the asst coach hires wont affect it (Marceaux and Manning). I know the standard of UL is going after those types of kids which it will likely remain that way however, with the amount of kids left in the portal I think you can find quality athletes that can fill any gaps that the Coaching staff might have potentially identified.

ok, ok.......I am done commenting I swear!!! LOL

What does a potential coach playing pro softball have to do with anything? Are you saying they can't interview because they are playing 4 games a week? The same thought applies to a candiadate who currently has a job. They can't interview because they have a job? With Zoom, Teams, Slack or any other video conference call provider, interviewing someone should be very easy. Many of the players playing AUSL are either a head coach (Morgan Zerkle/Marshall) or an assistant coach (Kayla Kowaliak/Texas Tech; Sydney Romero/Oregon; Hope Trautwin-Valdespino/McNeese, etc.). In regards to Hope Trautwein-Valdespino, she was hired at McNeese while playing in the AUSL league. So the point about Aly not being to hire someone because they are currently playing pro ball seems to be negated by McNeese recently hiring Trautwein-Valdespino.

In regard to the available players currently in the portal, it is my opinion that they haven't signed with a new school yet is because there is a problem with them. By problem I mean that there is a problem with their swing or a problem with there fielding or maybe an attitude problem. With the limited time coaches have to spend with players, I feel that many don't have the time or desire to take on a career .185 hitter and try to convert them to be a .300 hitter. A player either has it or they don't. If a coach wants a serviceable player (like a Savannah White) who can field their position but is a liability with her bat, there are a ton of these type girls currently in the portal.

[UL_Cajuns]

After her last interaction with Coach that will never happen!

You mean interaction with Glasco?

[Mark Hemphill]

...In regard to the available players currently in the portal, it is my opinion that they haven't signed with a new school yet is because there is a problem with them. By problem I mean that there is a problem with their swing or a problem with there fielding or maybe an attitude problem. With the limited time coaches have to spend with players, I feel that many don't have the time or desire to take on a career .185 hitter and try to convert them to be a .300 hitter. A player either has it or they don't. If a coach wants a serviceable player (like a Savannah White) who can field their position but is a liability with her bat, there are a ton of these type girls currently in the portal.

I have to disagree with this portion of your post. Lots of girls sign with a program and then find out after the fact that it's not a good fit for them. They might be behind an upperclassman and can't get the playing time to show their skill set or a coach brings in a transfer that takes time away from them (Glasco was famous for this). So they don't get the needed reps to improve their game or showcase their abilities. It doesn't mean they are a crap player.

[VObserver]

Emilee Boyer, the D2 player of the year and a finalist for Honda Women's Athlete of the Year, is in the portal. A 6'1" RHP/Outfielder, she was 28-4 in the circle with a 2.40 ERA and a WHIP of 1.05. She also hit .470, scoring 59 runs and driving in 90, with 35 extra base hits [22HR].

Her catcher, Lauren Granger is also in the portal. A D2 All-American, Granger hit .413, scoring 56 runs and driving in 47, with 39 extra base hits [16 HR].

[SlickRick]

Emilee Boyer, the D2 player of the year and a finalist for Honda Women's Athlete of the Year, is in the portal. A 6'1" RHP/Outfielder, she was 28-4 in the circle with a 2.40 ERA and a WHIP of 1.05. She also hit .470, scoring 59 runs and driving in 90, with 35 extra base hits [22HR].

Her catcher, Lauren Granger is also in the portal. A D2 All-American, Granger hit .413, scoring 56 runs and driving in 47, with 39 extra base hits [16 HR].

Both areas of critical need!

[CajunT]

Emilee Boyer, the D2 player of the year and a finalist for Honda Women's Athlete of the Year, is in the portal. A 6'1" RHP/Outfielder, she was 28-4 in the circle with a 2.40 ERA and a WHIP of 1.05. She also hit .470, scoring 59 runs and driving in 90, with 35 extra base hits [22HR].

Her catcher, Lauren Granger is also in the portal. A D2 All-American, Granger hit .413, scoring 56 runs and driving in 47, with 39 extra base hits [16 HR].

With the current NIL market, you have to pull athletes up from below your program that have performed very well and that can help your program. This holds true from Football and Baseball as well. If you can get an athlete from a major program its usually because they were lost in the shuffle or didn't feel comfortable. Either way this is where this program needs to make hay and continue to sign quality HS athletes.